Tag: Jimmy Butler

Kelly Oubre Jr. refusing to give any secrets to success vs. Jimmy Butler, Heat

Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. is not giving away any secrets to success against Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.

CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers will play host to the Miami Heat on Wednesday in the 7 vs. 8 play-in tournament game to determine who will be the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.

This is the second straight season the Heat are in the play-in tournament. They emerged from it as the No. 8 seed in 2023 and made an improbable run to the finals. Therefore, Miami deserves respect from everybody around the league. Led by a unique star in Jimmy Butler, the Heat will certainly be no easy out for the Sixers on Wednesday.

With that being said, Kelly Oubre Jr., who will be matched up with Butler at times, is not giving away any keys or secrets to the media in terms of defending him or the Heat.

“I’m not giving that team no secrets,” Oubre said when asked of the keys against Butler. “He’s smart. He watches this type of stuff and he gets fueled by anything. But he’s a great basketball player. I look forward to going against all the great basketball players in this league and adding my name up there.”

The Heat are famously known for their culture. Butler is a guy who lives and breathes it. Essentially, it means that Miami is a team that will work harder than everybody else and despite any so-called talent gap, the team will just find a way to rise to the challenge and get the job done.

Once again, though, Oubre isn’t giving any thought to that. He is focused on the Sixers.

“I don’t think about them, so I can’t answer that,” Oubre said. “That’s their stuff. They have a really great fanbase. They always put hard-working teams together. Pat Riley, he created that culture over there and it’s been working for them. But I don’t think about them at all.”

The Sixers and the Heat will match up at 7 p.m. EDT on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center.

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Sixers discuss challenges of facing Jimmy Butler, Heat Culture, zone defense

The Philadelphia 76ers discuss the challenges of defending Jimmy Butler, the Heat Culture, and attacking Miami’s zone defense.

CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers are getting set to take on a big challenge in the 7 vs. 8 play-in tournament game on Wednesday when they play host to the Miami Heat. The Sixers and the Heat split the season series between the two teams, but the Heat are a battle-tested bunch.

The Heat just have the ability to rise in the toughest moments and come out successful. They were in the play-in tournament in 2023 coming out as the No. 8 seed before then making an incredible run to the finals. Led by Jimmy Butler, Miami will give Philadelphia a huge challenge.

“He’s a physical player, but if you let him kinda just get to spots where he wants to get to, it’s hard,” KJ Martin said of defending Butler. “So just putting bigger guys. Like, obviously like me, Nico (Batum), or Kelly (Oubre Jr.), whoever, we’ll make it harder for him.”

A big key to Butler’s game is getting to his spots and then using his basketball IQ to be able to bait players into fouls. If the Sixers aren’t smart with their defensive schemes and principles, it could make for a long night.

“Him not just being able to bully guys and get to the line and stuff like that so limiting his free-throw attempts and staying solid,” Martin added. “Staying down on pump fakes and stuff like that so I think we should be good.”

Miami fell to the Denver Nuggets in the finals, but it was still one run that nobody will forget. As long as Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro are healthy, then the Heat will be a tough bunch.

“I can remember about my last 12 games with them, and they’re always hard-played, super intense, physical games,” added coach Nick Nurse. “So that’s OK. That’s what we think we are, too. We want to go out there and scrap with you. Sometimes you’ve got to get ready to do it right from the jump against these guys. Obviously, they’ve got a bunch of other things. Bam’s a great player, Jimmy’s a great player. They’ve got unbelievable complementary pieces.”

Nurse is right. While the Heat have those 3 guys leading the way, they can also turn to the likes of Duncan Robinson, Terry Rozier, Caleb Martin, and others who all find ways to contribute to winning. It’s the “Heat Culture” they are always preaching down in Miami.

“They’ve got some guys coming back,” Nurse added. “Their health issues are improving. Herro’s back playing. Robinson’s a great shooter. Rozier’s into the fold and explosive. So tons of talents and tons of scoring options that you’ve got to keep your eye on. There’s lots of matchups that we have to play. We just have to prepare for it all.”

On top of that, the Heat play a ton of zone defense. In a one-game scenario like the one these teams are dealing with, a zone defense can really throw a wrench into any team’s plans.

“I guess it’s a 2-3, but they pull those wing guys way up,” said Nurse. “They really try to keep the ball from going to the corner, because of how high they pull their wing guys up. There’s certain things that they’re willing to live with that I think fall into an analytical mindset, but it’s a little different. You don’t (typically) see the wing guys covering up so high and their communication is really good. They’re really talking about who’s going where, talking through cutters. They really seem to do a good job of getting matched up in it.”

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10 potential All-Star injury replacements (Trae Young!) for Joel Embiid and Julius Randle in the East

Trae Young deserves a trip to Indiana for the NBA All-Star Game.

The starters and reserves were announced for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game and several players were snubbed.

Two players (Joel Embiid and Julius Randle) in the Eastern Conference, however, are currently injured and are likely not expected back in time for the festivities in Indianapolis on Feb. 18.

Randle is out with a dislocated shoulder while Embiid was diagnosed with a devastating meniscus injury following a controversial return to play after he was a late scratch from a game against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.

While it is unclear how long Embiid will remain sidelined, in all likelihood, both players will require replacements in Indiana. Considering that Embiid and Randle are big men, at least one replacement will likely come from the frontcourt.

Here are some of the top candidates that NBA commissioner Adam Silver could consider when he makes his decision:

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Jimmy Butler wants to record an astonishing 200 songs for his upcoming country music album

Jimmy Butler wants to become the DJ Khaled of country music.

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is a man of many talents and we may soon find out if music is one of his skills.

Butler, who has previously told us that he averages a perfect score whenever he goes bowling, revealed that he is recording a country music album. It is no secret Butler loves country music (and blasting whatever it is that he is in the mood to listen to in the locker rooms) but this is a surprising revelation.

During a recent feature published by Claire de Lune, however, we learned Butler is already fairly far along in this process. Although he already has more than enough songs for an album, Butler aims to have “around 200” songs to choose from before he releases the project.

Here is more from the insightful story (via The Guardian):

“He’s been quietly working on his own country album for over a year, he says, and while he’s already amassed about 60 (!) songs for the project, he aims to have recorded around 200 to choose from when all is said and done.”

That is a staggering amount of music to record while also playing basketball at the most competitive level, but it will give him a lot of options whenever he is ready to make these recordings public.

If you were hoping to hear Butler’s singing voice on this, unfortunately, you are probably out of luck.

While his fingerprints will be all over the record, Butler sees himself more as a songwriter and as a producer:

He’s unlikely to sing on the album though, as he sees himself in more of a songwriter/producer role (“I’m like the DJ Khaled of this thing,” he deadpans). Butler genuinely admires Khaled’s skill as a curator, telling me, “He’s a crazy talented individual. To bring all these artists together and to have them be able to maintain the egos and be like, ‘Yo, look, this is what we’re trying to get done here,’ he’s mastered it. I freaking love DJ Khaled. ‘We are the best,’ as he would say.”

It is a bummer we won’t hear him singing but this should be a lot of fun.

The 5 fascinating NBA players chosen for Netflix’s documentary series that’s just like Quarterback

This new show on Netflix could be a lot of fun.

After the success of the Quarterback documentary series on Netflix, the streaming platform is reportedly trying a similar model but for NBA stars.

Netflix has done well in the sports world, producing quality shows like Drive To Survive for F1 and Full Swing for golf. With a rich list of characters set to star in the show about basketball, this upcoming series looks like a lot of fun as well.

According to Shams Charania, the show will spotlight five players during its first season: LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards and Domantas Sabonis.

This yet-to-be-named series is produced by several groups, including the production company founded by James and Maverick Carter, The SpringHill Company. Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions as well as Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions will also produce.

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Nikola Jovic: ‘I’m just waiting for the opportunity. You can’t rush through things’

Even though the Miami Heat are in win-now mode, they always have players they develop from the bottom up. Nikola Jovic is the latest young player to go through their system. Now in his second season with the Miami Heat, he hopes to become the next …

Even though the Miami Heat are in win-now mode, they always have players they develop from the bottom up. Nikola Jovic is the latest young player to go through their system. Now in his second season with the Miami Heat, he hopes to become the next Serbian to make a name for himself.

After a recent game against the Clippers, Jovic chatted briefly with HoopsHype to talk about his development, staying patient, the World Cup, and more.

Jimmy Butler, 2 other Heat players joining Sixers’ Joel Embiid on sidelines

The Miami Heat will be missing Jimmy Butler and 2 others while the Philadelphia 76ers will be missing Joel Embiid on Christmas.

Some of the fun was taken out of the Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat matchup on Christmas Day when Sixers star Joel Embiid was ruled out due to an ankle sprain.

Now, the Heat will be down several key pieces as well.

Jimmy Butler has been ruled out for the contest for the Heat due to a calf issue. Haywood Highsmith and former Sixers guard Josh Richardson have also been ruled out. Highsmith has a head cold while Richardson is dealing with back spasms.

Those three will join Embiid on the sidelines and the matchup’s focus turns to Tyrese Maxey and Tyler Herro.

The Sixers and the Heat must look to others to step up with their key pieces sidelined. Miami has been able to rely on Herro, Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson in big situations while Maxey has been fantastic. It will be an interesting night when the ball tips off at 8 p.m. EST from the Kaseya Center.

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Sixers preparing for challenge of facing scrappy Heat on Christmas

The Philadelphia 76ers are preparing for a big challenge in front of them when they face the Miami Heat on Christmas.

CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers are preparing to head to South Florida to take on the defending Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat on Christmas Day. The Heat will enter the contest 17-12, and they will offer a test for the Sixers here in the early portion of the season.

Led by Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, the Heat are a scrappy bunch who are always ready for any type of battle. As the Sixers prepare to invade the Kaseya Center on Christmas, they know the type of challenge that awaits.

It doesn’t matter to them that Miami reached the finals in 2023. They’re focused on right now and getting ready to fight.

“I would think more so just because they’re the Heat,” De’Anthony Melton said. “They play hard. They play scrappy and they’re real disciplined. So I think those type things is what we need, just in terms of our outcome of the game, but I mean, it’s a new year. Honestly, they made the finals but I think them being who they are as a team is what makes them so challenging.”

This could be a statement game for the Sixers considering who the Heat are and what they bring to the table every night. However, both Philadelphia and Miami are still working things out.

“It’s still early on in the season,” added Robert Covington. “Like we’re still finding ourselves, there’s still so many pieces. Of course, they have the experience and it definitely is a test, but I mean, like I said it’s still new components. It’s not the same team as last year. There’s different components on both sides.”

Considering the experience the Heat have and who they are, this will offer an idea of what’s to come when the playoffs come around in April and May. The Sixers have to be prepared for the challenges.

“So it’s just basically getting a feel for what’s gonna happen as the season goes on that line,” Covington added. “It’s gonna be a good test. We know what Miami Heat culture is like so it’s gonna be a great game.”

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Jimmy Butler had a perfect reason why he called out his shot while he completed a skyhook

It sounded like Jimmy Butler was playing H.O.R.S.E. against the Bulls.

Jimmy Butler had an amazing tribute to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during a Miami Heat victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

Butler, who finished with 16 points as well as three rebounds and six assists, scored on Abdul-Jabbar’s signature skyhook shot during the first quarter.

It was a delightful moment no one could have predicted before it was happening, but if his defenders weren’t sure that’s what he was doing, he made sure to let them know.

Even on the broadcast, it was impossible to not hear Butler yell out “skyhook” as he took the shot.

During his postgame media availability, he added some context.

Here is what he said:

“I got to pick and choose my spots wisely because I’m in a 3-point shooting slump right now, so I got to go to what I know, which is the skyhook.”

Butler was then asked when he last attempted a skyhook and he said that it mostly happens during practice. He said that he “just be out there doing stuff” during practice.

The six-time All-Star also explained why he identified the name of the shot as he took it:

“I just had to let everybody know that’s the shot I was going to do and there’s nothing anybody could do about it because I made my mind up as soon as I went middle.”

While not all of them are skyhooks like Abdul-Jabbar, the Heat star is a perfect 3-of-3 on his hook shots so far this season, per Synergy.

It is unlikely that trend continues, though, as he was 11-of-26 (42.3 percent) on hook shots last season and 13-of-23 (56.5 percent) the season prior.

During his first season with Miami in 2019-20, however, Butler was 12-of-18 (66.7 percent) on his hook shots. That ranked second-best among those with at least 15 attempts, also via Synergy.

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Ranking the top 30 NBA players over 30 years old, with Anthony Davis among the newcomers

A thorough ranking of the 30 best NBA players over 30 years old.

When I put together my first list of the top players over 30 years old, at the start of last season, the rankings were mostly based on what players had already accomplished in their careers. Predictably, the list was led by LeBron James, and players who were in the middle of obvious declines were also ranked a little too high as a result.

This year, I’m weighing those career accomplishments with some personal projection to try to get a more accurate picture of where players might finish the season. I’m also expanding the list from 20 to 30 names, because 30 over 30 has a better ring to it.

With that said, let’s get into it.

Related: Ranking the 23 best NBA players under 23 years old